Grain-cleaner.



No. 645,442. Paten ted Mar. l3, lane.

8. H. TROMANHAUSER.

GBAI-N CLEANER.

(Application filed June 11, 1898.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet l.

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No. 645,442. Patented Mar. I3, 1900.

S. H. TROMANHAUSER.

GRAIN CLEANER.

(Application filed. June 11, 1898.) {No.Model.) 3 Sheets Sheet 2 wrrw 5552s luvsm-m 615m IZM ss'usca Hfl'nemnu n aussn.

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mz norms vzrzns co Pm'ra-uma, wnsmucmu. 04 a No. 645,442. Patented Mar. l3, I900.

S. H. TROMANHAUSER. GRAIN CLEANER.

(Application filed June 11, 1898.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

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UNITED STATES Arm men.

sENECA IIAVER TROMANHAUSER, on MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR TO THE NIAGARA CLEANER COMPANY, or sAME PLACE.

GRAIN-CLEANER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 645,442, dated March 13, 1900. Application filed June 11,1898. Serial No. 683,178. (No model.)

T0 at whont it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SENECA I-I vEE TROMAN- HAUSER, of the city of Minneapolis, county of Hennepin, State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grain-Cleaners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements designed for cleaning grain, and it is especially adapted for cleaning wheat in elevators, mills, &c., where machines of large capacity are required.

The object of the inventionis to providea grain-cleaner of a most simple construction, with few moving parts, whereby little power is rendered necessary in the operation of the machine and the machine will be durable.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine which may be easily regulated, according to the work to be done.

The invention consists generally in a machine having a smooth inclined plate, over which the grain is fed in a thin sheet or stream, whereby as the grain passes down over the side plate the lighter material will be brought closer to the surface of the plate than the heavier kernels of grain, and as the material passes from the lower end of the plate the heavier kernels of grain, having greater momentum, will be farther from the plate than the fine material and will thus be separated therefrom.

The invention further consists in the combination, with the inclined plate, of means for creating a current of air beneath the lower end thereof to assist in the division of particles or the separation thereof.

The invention further consists in various constructions and combinations of parts, all as hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and in Which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectionthereof. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section substantially on the line .70 x of Fig. 2 Fig. 4 is an enlarged end view of the feedhead, showing the valve and means for operating the same. Fig. 5 is a detail View of one of the leveling-hinges of the inclined plane.

This grain-cleaner is usually from five to eight feet in width and is proportionally tall, the same being particularly intended and adapted for use in elevators and flour-mills where large quantities of grain are to be rapidly handled. The frame or casing is preferably triangular at the ends 2, said ends and the back and bottom of the casing being tight. The front of the casing is open except for a low partition or slide near the bottom. Extending across the top of the frame is the screen-ca sing 3, the top of which is preferably removable. Bearings tare provided upon the top of the frame for the shaft 5 of the conical rotary screen 6, arranged within the casing 3 and extending clear across the top of the machine. The bottom of the casing 3 is in the form of a hopper 7, provided with a slot 8, through which the grain may drop into the hopper 9 beneath. The grain is fed into the small end of the screen 6 by the feedhead 10, which-is preferably metallic and integral with the bearing at that end of the shaft 5. This head is provided with a horizontally-arranged slide 11, on the under side of which is a rack 12, with which a loose pinion 13 meshes, said pinion being held in a bracket upon the side of the head 10. This pinion is operated by means of the short lever 14, provided with a spring-lock 15, the lever being worked up anddown to operate the pinion and move the slide in either direction, as required. 16 is the dischargespout at the tail end of the rotary screen 6. The opening or slot 17 in the bottom of the hopper 9 is closed by the hinged valve or door 18, which is held shut by one or more weights 19, arranged upon arms extending from said board or valve. I

Beneath the hopper 9 I arrange the inclined plate 20, which is arranged in the frame 21, that is pivoted at its upper end to the sides of the frame or casing of the machine. The lower end 22 of the plate '20 is curved, as shown. This plate, in order to produce the best results, is from four to six feet in length and its inclination substantially as shown in the drawings, where it appears at an inclination of about forty-five degrees, but being pivotally supported may be adjusted to suit the condition of the grain that it is desired to clean. The lower end of the frame 21, with the plate therein, is supported by means of rods 23, attached to the end of the frame and having their upper ends secured in brackets 24, extending from the sides of the casing, in which brackets said rods 23 are adjustable by means of nuts 25, whereby the inclination of the plate may be varied. In order to carefully adjust and level the plate 20, Iconstruct the hinges as shown in Fig. 5. The end bar of the frame 21 is provided with a plate 26, having a slot 27 in line with the bar. On the side of the casing is a block or bar 28, carrying the short stud-shaft 29, that is threaded in said plate 28. This stud-shaft is provided with a square outer end 30, by means of which the shaft may be turned, and the inner end of the shaft is turned olf to form the eccentric-stud 31, which extends into the slot in the plate 26. By turning the shaft the end of the frame and the plate may be raised or lowered. The stud-shaft 29 when adjusted is secured by means of the lockingnut 32. Beneath the plate I arrange the two troughs 33 and 34 and the spout 35, which latter preferably connects with the spout leading through the floor on which the machine stands. The spout 35 contains a spring or weighted valve to prevent an upward rush of air through the spout, while allowing the grain to pass.

The low front 36 of the casing has an adjustable or sliding section 37, by means of which the opening between the upper edge of the partition and the lower edge of the plate 20 maybe varied. The adjustable portion is secured by suitable clamps. Between the trough 34 and the spout 35 I arrange the adjustable deflector 38, and there is another of these deflectors 39 between the trough 34 and the trough 33, and preferably said defiector 39 is considerably above the deflector 38. These deflectors are arranged upon the cross-shafts, which have arms 40 upon their outer' ends, which arms may be secured in different positions by means of the thumbnut 41 and a quadrant 42, provided on the side of the casing or frame. Each trough 33 34 contains a spiral conveyer 43 44, which operate to carry the material settling in the troughs into the heads 45 46 outside of the casing, and each of which is provided with a door or,valve 47.

The fan-casing 49 is arranged in the lower and back part of the frame of the machine, and an air-trunk 50 leads from the forward part of the machine upon each side of the fancasing, and said trunks open into the sides of said fan-casing. The opening in the front of the casing being opposite the lower portion of the inclined plate and the air-trunk being heneath said plate, it follows that when the suction-fan is started a down ward and backward current of air will be established through the body of material as it falls from the lower end of said inclined plate, and the suction of this current of air will also tend to keep the space between the inclined plate and the front of the casing free from dust and small particles that may have escaped the preliminary cleaning in the hopper above. These openings are closed by the slides 51, which operate in opposite directions and are moved by means of the rocking shaft 52,extending from side to side of the machine and bearing the cross-arm 53, which is connected with the slides 51 by rods 54, whereby the slides are operated equal distances upon opposite sides of the shaft 55 of the fan. The shaft is provided'with strong bearings 56 upon the frame of the machine, and on one end is provided with the driving-pulley 57. The floor of the trunk, leading to the fan, and the troughs form the bottom of the machine. The top of the trunk prevents the formatio n of eddy-currents of air in the upper part of the casing behind the plate 20, and this space is more effectually closed by a board 57, hinged to the frame 21 and having its lower end slidable upon the top of the air-trunk. 1

58 represents a dust-collector arranged u pon the back of the machine casing or frame and opening into the hopper 9.

- 59 is an opening in the upper and outer part of the hopper.-

The outlet of the dust-collector leads into the vertical duct 60, containing the controlling-valve 61, and connected with the main trunk that leads to the suction-fan. The rotary screen is driven by a belt 62, extending from the shaft 55 overa large pulley 63 upon the shaft 5 of the screen. The conveyers are preferably driven by a sprocket-belt 64, extending from a sprocket-wheel 65 on the shaft 5 to small sprocket-wheels 66 upon the shafts of the two conveyers 43 44. The slack of the belt is taken up by the adjustable idler 67, provided upon the side of the machine. The inclined plate 20 is preferably smooth glass.

Thg u p e rat ign of the machine is as follows: The gra inb'eiiig fed into the head 10 is discharged into the rotary screen 6, which separates the straw and large particles from the grain and discharges said straw through the spout 16. The grain meantime is fed evenly upon the inclined bottom of the screen-casing and falls therefrom into the hopper 9 beneath the same. Meantime the fan having been started a current of air will be set up across the bottom of the screencasing and through the hopper 9 to carry the light particles out of the streams of falling grain and into the dust-collector 58, in which said particles are separated from the air, while the air is drawn into the fan through the trunk 60. In this manner the grain is subjected to a preliminary cleaning. The hinged board or valve 18 is adjusted by means of the weights 19 to yield to a certain weight of grain in the hopper 9, and being opened thereby will allow a thin and uniform sheet of grain to fall upon the upper end of the inclined glass plate 20, the inclination of which may have been previously adjusted. The grain will slide down upon the plate very rapidly, and the frictionthereof upon the glass plate creates'suflicient static electricity to cause the fine or light material mixed with the grain to adhere to the surface of the plate, leaving the larger particles at the top of the stream. Now as the grain ar rives at the bottom of the plate and is projected therefrom the lighter particles will be on the under side of the stream, while the heavier particles-to wit, the kernels of grain-will be thrown forward into the grainspout 35. The lighter particles will fall into the trough 34, and the still lighter particles will be drawn backward into the trough 33 by the strong current of 'air set up by the suction-fan. Owing to the preliminary separation of the grain-kernels and the particles of dust while upon the incline the separation by the air-current is rendered simple and short.

The strength of the air-current is governed by the speed of the fan and the slides 51, and an almost perfect separation of the heavier seeds from the fineparticles of dust, chaif, 850., may be'made by the adjustment of the valve 'or deflector 39, while the mixing of the grain and the seeds is prevented by the ad justment of thedeflector 38, which is so arranged as to catch all of the seeds, while allowing the grain-kernels to fall into the spout 35.

By the adjustment of the inclination of the plate 20 and by the adjustment of the front 37 of the machine practically any degree of separation may be attained. The materials falling into the troughs will be taken therefrom by the ,conveyers. Very little of the light material is carried into the fan, owing tothe fact that the space back of the deflector 39 is so much greater than it is between the deflector and the lower end of the incline,

\vherebythe velocity of the air is reduced after passing said deflector to precipitate the light material into the trough 33. Av very good separation may be obtained without the operation of the suction-fan, gravity being depended upon to precipitate the grain particles and the seeds at separate points.

I do not limit myself to the use of a curved plate nor to one constructed of glass, though I prefer it on account of its superior electrical properties, as polished marble, metal, or even hard polished wood might be employed, and while I secure better results by using the aircurrent through the sheet of material as it passes from the inclined plate I may in some instances use the inclined plate without the air-current.

I do not limit myself to theform or special arrangement shown of the parts'of the machine, as it is obvious that the same may be varied in many particulars without departing from my invention. The machine may be made of any suitable size, and it is obvious jected farther than it would if the plate had a straight upper surface.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent-- 1. A grain-separator, comprising in combination, an inclined plate whereon static electricity is generated by the movement of the grain, and means for feeding grain or material in a thin sheet upon. the upper end of said plate, substantially as described.

2. A grain-separator, comprising in combination, a suitable frame or casing, an inclined glass plate arranged therein, means for feeding the grain ormaterial in a thin sheet onto the upper end of said plate, means for creating a current of air transversely through the stream of grain falling from the lower end of said plate, and separating hoppers or troughs arranged beneath said plate, substantially as described.

3. A grain-separator, comprising in combination, a suitable frame or casing, an inclined plate whereon static electricity is generated by the movement of the grain, said plate being slightly curved near its lower end, means for feeding the grain or material in a thin sheet onto the upper end of said plate, and a suction device provided beneath said plate,

as and for the purpose specified.

4. A grain-separator, comprising'in combination, an inclined plate hinged at its upper end whereon static electricity is generated by the movement of the grain, means for adjusting the lnclination of said plate, a suc tion-fan adapted to create a transversecurrent of air through the material falling from the 'lower'end of said plate, and separating hoppers or troughs beneath said plate and I TO ing, of the inclined plate arranged therein whereon static electricity is generated by the movement of the grain, the feed-hopper above said plate, means for feeding grain or'other material into said hopper in a thin stream or sheet, and means for creating a current of air across said hopper and beneath the lower end of said inclined plate, substantiallyas described.

7. A grain-separator, comprising in combination, an inclined glass plate, whereon static electricity is generated, as described, I, and means for feeding grain or material in a thin sheet upon the upper end of said plate, substantially as described.

8. A grain separator, comprising an inclined glass plate, whereon static electricity is generated, in combinatiom'with means for feeding the grain in a thin sheet onto the upper end of said plate, and afan or suction device arranged in a trunk at the lower' end of said plate and adapted to create a downward and backward current of air through the material as it falls from the lowerend of said plate, substantially as described.

'9. A grain separator, comprising an in- .clined and slightly-curved glass plate having a smooth surface, and whereon static electricity is generated, as described, in combination, with means for feeding the material in a thin sheet onto the upper end of said plate, substantially as described.

10. A grain-separator, comprising in combination, an inclined glass plate havinga smooth upper surface, means for feeding the grain, seeds and material mixed therewith, in a thin sheet onto the upper surface of said plate, whereby the passage of the grain and other material over the surface of said plate generates static electricity which tends to separate the lighter material by bringing it beneath the grain and closer to the surface of the plate, and suitable conveyors or receptacles below said plate to receive the grain and the lighter material separated therefrom 11. A grain separator, comprising an in clined glass plate 20, having a smooth upper surface whereon static electricity is generated by the movement of the grain, in c0mbination, with the. machine-frame wherein said plate is supported, the air-trunk in the lower part of the machine-frame beneath the lower end of said plate 20, the grain outlet openings or hoppers in the lower and forward part of said trunk, the fan, the trunk 50 leading from the trunk below said plate to said fan, a trough or hopper in the lower part of the trunk beneath said plate, and means for feeding the-material in a thin sheet onto the upper end of said ,plate, substantially as de= scribed.

12. The combination, with the frame or'casing, of the inclined plate arranged therein, the adjustable hinge devices for leveling the upper end of said plate, means for feeding material in a thin sheet upon the upper end of said plate, and means for creating a current, of air below the lower end of said plate, substantially as described.

13. The combination, with the frame or casing, of the inclined plate arranged therein,

and'the eccentric adjustable hinges for said plate, substantially as described.

14. The combination, with the frame or cas= ing, of the inclined plate arranged therein, 1

ing, of the inclined plate arranged therein whereon static electricity is generated bythe movement of the grain, the screen arranged above said plate, the hopper beneath said screen and wherefrom the grain is fed in a thin stream upon said plate, and means for creating a current of air through said hopper and beneath the lower end of said and for the purpose specified.

16. A grain-separator, comprising in combination, a casing, having an opening in its front wall, a pivotally supported plate arranged within said casing whereon static electricity is generated by the movement of the grain, means for tilting said plate, a hopper above said plate wherefrom the material is fed in a thin-sheet upon said plate to slide down over the surface of the same, afan-casing, afan provided therein, and anair-trunk leading from the space beneath and in the rear of said plate to said fan-casing, whereby as the material falls from the lower end of said plate it will be subjected to a current of air,

plate, as

'for the purpose specified.

17. A grain-separator, comprising'in combination, a casing, a pivotally-supported plate arranged therein, means for tilting said plate, a hopper above said plate wherefrom the material is fed in a thin sheet to slide down over the surface of said plate whereon static electricity is generated by the movement of the material, said hopper having an air-inlet opening in its wall, a sieve arranged above said hopper wherefrom the material fallsinto said hopper, a fan-casin g and fan arranged therein, anair-trunk leading from said hopper to said fan-casing to permit a preliminary cleaning of the material as it falls from said screen and before it is deposited upon said plate, substantially as described.

18. A grain separator, comprising an inclined pivotally-supported glass plate having a smooth upper surface,'in combination, with the machine-frame wherein said plate is arranged, means for feeding material in a thin stream upon the upper end of said plate to permit it to slide down over the surface of the same, an adjustable part or section provided in the front wall of said, machine-frame, the grain troughs or conveydrs provided beneath the lower end of said inclined plate, afan-casing, a fan arranged therein, and an'air-trunk leading from the space beneath said plate to said fan-casing,substantially as described and for the purpose specified.

19. The combinatiom'with the frame or casing, of the feed device therein, the curved glass plate arranged at an incline in said frame beneath said feed device, the eccentric hinges for said plate at or near its upper end and independently adjustable, adjustable means supporting the lower end of said plate, the hopper below said plate, and means for creating a current of air beneath said plate, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, this 12th day of May, 1898, at Minneapolis, Minnesota.

SENECA HAVER TROMANHAUSER.

In presence of C. G. HAWLEY, M. E. GooLEY. 

